Lactation Narration

It’s that time again! You might remember the great post in December 2011 that highlighted the Natural Parents Network Volunteer’s most popular or favorite posts from the year. Well, we are back and this time we are bringing you a collection of posts that focus on Do It Yourself projects, How To’s, Tutorials, Recipes, and anything related to a step by step guide or informational how-to.

There are a lot of really wonderful posts here and I hope that this serves as an excellent resource that you can pass on to your friends! Enjoy!

Jorje of Momma Jorje.com shares her Family Cloth Tutorial in pictures. She includes step by step photos with some tips for making very neat family cloth. You can find Momma Jorje on Facebook, too!

Lani at Boobie Time Blog shares “How to Help a New Breastfeeding Mom.” This post provides some tips on helping a new mom while she is learning to Breastfeed. You can also find Boobie Time Blog on Facebook and Twitter.

Amanda at Let’s Take the Metro shares “How I Make Cloth Wipes.” This post details how Amanda made all of her cloth wipes. You can also find Let’s Take the Metro on Facebook.

Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy shares “Lessons in a Picture Book.” A Lesson plan for pancakes and how to make your own butter! You can also find True Confessions of a Real Mommy on Facebook and Twitter.

Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction shares “Tips for Road Tripping with a Toddler.” A long car trip with a young child can be a great way to make some wonderful memories if you are prepared to meet the challenges. You can also find Monkey Butt Junction on Facebook and Twitter.

Abbie at Farmer’s Daughter shares “Maple Cinnamon Swirl Bread.” This recipe tutorial shows you how to make a sweet whole wheat bread with beautiful cinnamon swirls in each slice. You can also find Farmer’s Daughter on Facebook and Twitter.

Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares “How To Consume Coconut Oil Plus Coconut Oil Candy Recipes.” This post provides some tips on how to get your daily dose of coconut oil down the hatch. It also provides some very tasty recipes for coconut oil candy! You can also find Hybrid Rasta Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google +.

Alicia at Lactation Narration gives some ideas for how to accomplish Partial Weaning for moms who would like to cut down on nursing without completely weaning. You can also find Lactation Narration on Facebook and Twitter.

Cynthia at The Hippie Housewife shares “A Learning-Rich Environment.” This post provides a number of suggestions for creating a learning-rich environment and incorporating learning into everyday life, with a particular focus on the preschool age. You can also find The Hippie Housewife on Facebook, Pinterest, and Google +.

Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares “Kale Chips = Awesome!“ This post shares a super easy recipe for making a super easy (and surprisingly tasty) snack from one of the most healthful greens around. You can also find Becoming Crunchy on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes shares “How to Move to California.” A silly how-to she wrote while she and her then fiance were driving to their new home. You can also find Shannon on Pinterest, Flickr, and Google +.

Gretchen at That Mama Gretchen shares a recipe for “Homemade Fruit Leather.” It’s easier than you ever thought and the perfect snack for you and your family. You can also find That Mama Gretchen on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Julia at A Little Bit of All of It shares “How I Cloth Diaper (Part 1).” This post details the way Julia has cloth diapered her daughter along with the products she uses. You can also find A Little Bit of All of It on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google +.

Joella at Fine and Fair shares “Our First Sensory Bins.” In this post, she shares how she made a “Scoop, Measure, and Pour” themed sensory bin, as well as an “In the Garden” themed bin. She also shares some tips for making your own sensory bins! Fine and Fair can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

For all of you breastfeeding mamas, Dionna at Code Name: Mama has the ultimate DIY experience with the main ingredient being your breastmilk! 58 Medical, Costmetic, and Other Alternative Uses for Breastmilk includes a cradle cap remedy, an anti-itch salve, weaning jewelry, lotion, and more. You can also find Dionna on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings offers several ideas for “Keeping a Toddler Happily Busy on a Long Flight.” The list includes handmade felt activities, among many other things. You can also find Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google +.

Shannon at The Artful Mama shares “Preparing Toddlers for Birth.” This post features MamAmor dolls and shows some alternative ways to talk to toddlers about pregnancy and birth. You can also find The Artful Mama on Facebook and Twitter.

Kym at Our Crazy Corner of the World shares her “Family Binder DIY.” This post shows how to put together a family binder, to help organize cleaning, meal planning, shopping and budgeting all in one convenient location!

Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares “5 Green Living, Spring Cleaning Tips.” This post provides easy ways to keep the toxins out of your home and to freshen up your home for spring. You can also find I Thought I Knew Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google +.

Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings shares “Daily Bread: My Favorite Whole Grain Bread Machine Recipe.” This recipe is easy, highly adaptable, and a great starting point for creating your own daily (or almost daily!) homemade bread. You can also find Intrepid Murmurings on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.

Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children shares “10 Tips for Toddler Carseat Woes.” Check out these ideas of dealing with toddler carseat issues without resorting to punishments. You can also find Living Peacefully with Children on Facebook.

Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares “DIY Mom’s Night In.” A somewhat humorous solution, this post provides exhausted Mamas the recipe for the perfect way to recharge!

Stacy at Sweet Sky shares “Ways to Bring More Mindfulness Into Your Days.” This post provides tips and tricks to bring yourself back to the present moment, so you can be the parent you want to be. You can also find Stacy on Facebook.

Amy at Anktangle shows us how to make your own popsicle stick puzzles, a fun and simple “busy bag” activity for toddlers and preschool aged children. You can also find Amy on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google +.

Lauren at Hobo Mama shares “How to sew a mei tai baby carrier.” The mei tai is Lauren and Sam’s favorite carrier for baby Alrik: as comfortable and simple as it is beautiful. You can also find Hobo Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google +.

Christine at African Babies Don’t Cry shares “How to Make Rainbow Coloured Rice (Without Alcohol) for a Toddler Sensory Bin.” This post provides a step by step tutorial for making vibrantly coloured rainbow rice for sensory play, includes a printable PDF. You can also find African Babies Don’t Cry on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google +.

Luschka of Diary of a First Child shares “How To Send A Hug In An Envelope.” This post is a creative way to send more than just the standard card to love ones. It literally is a hug in an envelope! You can also find Diary of a First Child on Facebook, and Twitter.

Welcome to the Pregnancy Necessities Carnival!
This post was written for inclusion in the Pregnancy Necessities Carnival hosted by Parenting God’s Children. Today, participants share what they simply cannot live without during their pregnancies or simply what to gather for their upcoming new addition. Please see the full list of links to the other carnival submissions at the end of this post. Enjoy!
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So, you are an expectant mom, you plan to breastfeed, and you wonder what products you should have on your list to buy before baby arrives? As breastfeeding regains popularity in our society, more and more products are available on the market for nursing moms. Here is a list of things you may want to put on your shopping list. Or not. You may not need to buy many of these after all.

1. Nursing bras - These bras allow you to unclip one side for easy access to your boob at feeding time. They are pretty useful, but not necessary for everyone. I have one friend who doesn’t wear a bra ever – nursing or not! My regular bra has enough elastic, and my breasts are small enough, that I can just pull one side down under my boob for access, without the need to use specialized bras. Also consider nursing tanks instead, which also cover your tummy.

2. Nursing pads – Put them in your bra to catch the milk you leak. These come in washable or disposable varieties, as well as LilyPadz. I liked the contoured pads best and felt like they didn’t show as much through my shirt as the flat variety. I actually started wearing these when I was still pregnant and started leaking colostrum, but not everyone leaks. They are most helpful for the first few months with baby, and you probably won’t continue to need them later on in your nursing career. If you are crafty, you could also make these yourself pretty easily using scraps.

3. Nursing shirts/dresses – These clothes are designed with openings underneath so that you can nurse very discreetly in public. I found them really essential in the beginning, when I was not very comfortable with nursing in public yet. I bought some online from Motherwear and Expressiva, but I found them to be quite expensive. I got the rest of mine at consignment sales, usually mixed in with the maternity clothes, where they were much cheaper! As time went on, I got better at nursing in public and felt fine just pulling up my regular shirt without needing special nursing clothes. I do still wear specialized nursing dresses though. Most of my regular dresses are not nursing friendly though, and obviously I can’t just pull them up to nurse the way I do with a shirt! Some styles of dresses are more nursing friendly though, where you can pull them down from the top.

4. Nursing covers – These are typically a sheet of fabric that covers the baby while nursing and attaches around your neck so that it doesn’t fall off. These are also meant to ease nursing in public if you are uncomfortable with others seeing baby nursing. Some people love them, others hate them. Personally, I never used one. This is another item that you could probably easily make yourself.

5. Breastfeeding pillow- The Boppy and My Breast Friend are the most popular examples of breastfeeding pillows. They are designed to prop the baby close to your breast to put baby in a comfortable position for feeding. Some people find these very helpful. They are completely optional though. You can get the same effect from a few throw pillows under your elbow. I used it with my first, but never did with my second.

6. Lanolin – You put lanolin on your nipples if they hurt. It’s like ultimate chap stick to heal the cracks. It is particularly useful in the first few weeks, when your nipples are still adjusting to nursing. Some people use a ton of it, but I only used a tiny bit and found I had lots left over. I never actually purchased it. You can email Medela and Lansinoh and tell them you are an expectant mother and ask if they have any free samples they can send. They both sent me free tubes of lanolin, and it was way more than I ever needed. One thing to consider is that lanolin can promote thrush, so be aware that not all nipple pain should be treated with lanolin. There are non-lanolin nipple cream options too, for those looking for an alternative.

7. Breast Pump – Are you going to be separated from baby, ie work or school? If so, you probably want a quality, double electric pump. The most popular brands for this are Medela, Ameda, and the newer Hygeia. If you are not planning to be separated from baby, you do not need a pump unless you want one. It is in no way true that all nursing mothers need to have a pump. It is your choice. For occasional pumping, I’d say once per day or less, I would recommend just a manual or a cheap electric – you don’t need an expensive pump in this situation. Now, if you end up dealing with an unusual circumstance, such as prematurity or cleft palate, then you will want to use a high quality pump. You don’t need the pump in advance though. I think it is fine to wait until baby is born and see what your situation is. Even if you do use it, it likely won’t be until several weeks out with a healthy baby if you do not plan to be separated.

8. Hands-free pumping bra – If you will be pumping more than once per day, this may be useful for you. I never used one when pumping at work for my first, but I did for my second and thought it was really helpful just so I could do other things while pumping, such as writing, typing, or turning the pages of a book. If you will only be pumping once per day or less often, I probably wouldn’t bother with this though. The more common style can only be used for pumping, but I needed one that could be used for nursing or pumping, because I pumped at work, but nursed on my lunch break, and didn’t want to change my bra several times per day! You could also make your own DIY hands-free pump setup using hair-ties, as demonstrated on Kellymom.

9. Bottles and bottle nipples – If you do use a pump, you will also likely use bottles. If you don’t pump, then you may not need bottles at all – not all babies use bottles! If/when you do buy bottles, I recommend only getting the smaller 4-5 oz size, and not the big 8 oz size. Formula fed babies typically do need the larger bottles eventually, but breastfed babies rarely take more than 4-5 oz in a bottle (mine never took more than 3oz). Along with bottles go nipples. Use the slowest flow nipple you can find to prevent nipple preference; there is no need to ever increase the flow as your baby gets older. Keep in mind that some brands of “slow flow” or “stage 1″ nipples are slower than others. And some babies are picky and will only take certain brands. I made the mistake of buying a bunch of one kind, and then not being able to use them. I say wait and see what you need; you don’t need this in advance either.

10. Milk storage bags – Most people who pump end up freezing milk too, and most freeze milk in special storage bags. I preferred the Lansinoh brand for this, personally. Some other brands were hard for me to seal properly and leaked on me. Don’t freeze in too large of amounts. Just because the bag can hold 8 oz, doesn’t mean you should freeze 8 oz – then you have to thaw 8 oz! If your baby only drinks 3 oz servings, then you’ve just wasted the rest. If you freeze in smaller amounts, you can always thaw another bag if needed. I didn’t freeze in bags at all for my second baby; I used ice cube trays. They freeze in nice 1 oz portions, which I can then pop out and store in plain ziplock freezer storage bags. No expensive milk bags to buy, and always easy to thaw the number of ounces that I want.

Bottom line: none of this stuff is essential for every nursing mom. All you really need to breastfeed are your baby and your boobs. Some products can help ease the process, but it’s optional. Pumping is not required for breastfeeding, and half of these products are irrelevant if you never pump.

When I was pregnant with my first, we ended up buying all sorts of things that seemed so essential at the time, but that we never actually needed at all (a bottle warmer that plugs into the car for my baby who never even took a bottle!). When I was pregnant with my second, I really wanted to buy stuff (I guess I was “nesting”), but couldn’t find anything that I needed! You really don’t need all the stuff at all!

**Disclaimer: No links are affiliate links and I have received no free products or monetary payment in exchange mentionimg or linking any products. Product mentions and links are simply for illustration and examples for readers’ convenience. Product preferences mentioned reflect only my personal opinions of products with which I am familiar.**

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Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants!

• The Pregnancy Happiness List — That Mama Gretchen is half way through pregnancy number two and is spilling the beans on her pregnancy must-haves!
• What A Pregnant Woman Really Needs — Jennifer Hybrid Rasta Mama reflects on what items she could not live without during her pregnancy as well as those she wishes she had.
• Cravings of Another Kind — When reflecting on what made her pregnancy enjoyable, Adrienne at Mommying My Way discovered information is what she craved most of all.
• The Pregnancy Necessities — Kym at Our Crazy Corner of the World shares her top ten must haves for pregnant women.
• The Expectant Mom‘s List of Breastfeeding Stuff to Buy, or Not — Alicia at Lactation Narration shares a list of 10 breastfeeding products that the expectant mom might want to have on her shopping list, or not.
• Pregnancy Necessities with a Toddler In Tow — Amyables at Toddler in Tow lists several simple things that make pregnancy while parenting an older child much less stressful and more enjoyable.
• Ten Tips That Helped Me During Pregnancy — Kat at {Almost} Every Moment shares ten things that helped her get through her three pregnancies!
• First Trimester Staples — Megan BB from The Memoirs of Megan shares her first trimester “must haves”
• The Pregnancy Must Have — Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy shares the ONE thing she used almost daily, through all three pregnancies and suggests to all pregnant moms.
• Where to Find Cute Maternity Clothes — Lauren at Hobo Mama reviews which maternity clothing stores to hit or miss.
• My Pregnancy Support System — While there are many material things that are nice to have during pregnancy, Dionna at Code Name: Mama’s true essentials were her family.
• Ten Essentials for a HAPPY Pregnant Mama — Sarah at Parenting God’s Children is half way through her third pregnancy! She shares the things she‘s found to be essential to a happy pregnant mama.

I am proud and honored to be volunteer with the Natural Parents Network (NPN), a community of natural-minded parents and parents-to-be where you will be informed, empowered, and inspired. When you visit the NPN’s website you can find articles and posts about Activism, Balance, Consistent Care, Ecological Responsibility, Family Safety, Feeding With Love, Gentle Discipline, Healthy Living, Holistic Health, Natural Learning, Nurturing Touch, Parenting Philosophies, Practical Home Help, Preparing for Parenting, Responding With Sensitivity, Safe Sleep, and so much more!

The volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to make NPN the outstanding resource it is also spend countless hours informing and inspiring others on their personal blogs. To close out 2011, the NPN volunteers have come together to provide you with some valuable reading material. Each volunteer has selected either their most viewed post of 2011 or their favorite post and shared the link here. Please take a few moments to visit each post. Our intention is to expand our reach as bloggers and informed parents and parents-to-be who are still growing as we move through our own journeys. Each volunteer has provided links to other social media sites where you can follow them as well.

We hope you enjoy reading these posts as much as we enjoyed writing them. We are always looking for new volunteers so please, contact us if you are interested. Just a few hours per month can help other mamas in a huge way!

Abbie at Farmer’s Daughter shares her Christmas Cookie Swap Blog Hop, which is her fourth annual virtual cookie swap and most popular post of the year. Please stop by and link up your favorite holiday recipe until Dec. 31. You can find Farmer’s Daughter on Facebook and Twitter.

Adrienne from Mommying My Way shares Fear vs. Faith, one of her favorite posts about how often living a life of faith can look like a life of fear, but the two are really quite different. You can also find Mommying My Way on Facebook.

Alicia of Lactation Narration retells the story of her oldest daughter’s 5 years of nursing and weaning in her favorite post of 2011, The Weaning Party. You can find Lactation Narration on Facebook and Twitter.

Amy of Toddler In Tow shares Finding My Mommy-Zen, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, she shares her desire to balance her own self-esteem by choice in order to parent with peace and compassion. You can also find Toddler In Tow on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter, and follow Amyables (Amy W.) on Google + and Ravelry.

Arpita of Up, Down, and Natural shares one of her most popular posts titled Reflections. This is a beautiful look at the type of mother she wants to be. You can find Up, Down, and Natural on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Charise of I Thought I Knew Mama shares Why Do Children Have More Food Allergies Than Ever Before?, her most viewed post of 2011. This post explains the shocking info that one unsuspecting mother discovered when she started researching why her daughter had a violent allergic reaction to eggs. This is a must read post for ensuring the health of your family. You can also find I Thought I Knew Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Stumbleupon.

Christine of African Babies Don’t Cry shares The Best First Food for Babies, one of her favourite posts of 2011. This well-researched post delves into the healthiest and most nutritious food to feed your baby. You can also find African Babies Don’t Cry on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest.

Cynthia of The Hippie Housewife shares Gentle Discipline for Toddlers, her most viewed post of 2011. This post describes five gentle discipline tools for parenting toddlers. You can also find The Hippie Housewife on Facebook, Google +, and Pinterest.

Darcel of The Mahogany Way shares Babywearing As a Way of Life one of her favorite post of 2011. This post showcases some beautiful woven wraps that she has purchased, traded, borrowed, and sold over the years. Darcel also talks about the benefits of babywearing from the newborn through toddler stage. You can also find Darcel{ The Mahogany Way} on Facebook, Twitter, Her Community for Mothers of Color, and Pinterest.

Dionna of Code Name Mama shares 50 Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids Plus Fun Serving Suggestions, her most viewed post of 2011. Most of these snacks are quick to fix and portable, so you can pack them to send with your child on play dates, at preschool, or to just have handy in the refrigerator for when your child wants to grab a bite to eat “all by himself.” You can find Dionna on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Erica at ChildOrganics shares a post that is not only close to her heart, but also her most viewed post for 2011 titled Attachment Parenting in the NICU. This post shares her top 10 tips for parenting should you find yourself with a baby in the NICU. You can also find Erica on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Gretchen of That Mama Gretchen shares her personal experience of returning to work, expressing milk, and the ups and downs in between in her 2011 most viewed post, Mama’s Milk. You can also find Gretchen on GFC, Blog Lovin’, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Isil of Smiling like Sunshine shares how to make an autumn tree using pumpkin seeds, her most popular post in 2011. This post features a lovely craft activity that you can do with your kids! You can also find Isil on Facebook and Twitter.

Jennifer of Hybrid Rasta Mama shares 80 Uses For Coconut Oil, her most viewed post of 2011. This comprehensive post provides background information on the benefits of coconut oil as well as outlines 80 uses for it. You can also find Hybrid Rasta Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.

Jennifer of True Confessions of a Real Mommy shares her most popular post of 2011, Weekly House Blessing (Otherwise Known as Cleaning Once a Week). This post outlines a once per week cleaning routine for busy moms. You can also find Jennifer on Twitter.

Joella, the mama behind Fine and Fair, shares An Unusual Gripe with Bebe Gluton, one of her most popular posts of 2011. In it, she discusses the controversy surrounding a “breastfeeding doll” and offers her take on the gender role implications of dolls in general. Fine and Fair can also be found on twitter and facebook.

Julia of A Little Bit of All of It shares the story of how her co-sleeping relationship ended with her daughter, her most viewed post of 2011. This post shows how her daughter transitioned to her own bed on her 2nd birthday and the emotions involved for her mom. You can also find A Little Bit of All of It on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.

Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares True Blessings: White Noise and Grandparents, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, Kat talks about how she maximizes getting sleep and how grateful and blessed she is to have her parents be so involved in helping and spending time with her kiddos.

Kelly of Becoming Crunchy shares That Cup Does What?, her most viewed post of 2011. This post is one of a series of reviews and information on switching to all natural menstrual products – having heard so many different options and recommendations, Kelly decided to give a whole bunch of them a try and pull all the reviews together in one week for anyone interested in making the switch. This post in particular covers the ins and outs of the Diva Cup. You can also find Becoming Crunchy on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest.

Kristin of Intrepid Murmurings shares a popular post from 2011, something she and her husband made for their girls for Christmas, great for open-ended play and construction: Handmade Tree Blocks. You can also find Kristin on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Lani of Boobie Time shares Helping a Fellow Breastfeeding Mom, her inspiration for starting to blog. This post discusses the importance of fellow moms supporting each other and some tips on having a successful breastfeeding relationship. Lani can also be found on Facebook.

Laura at WaldenMommy: Life Behind the Red Front Door writes about finally entering “spring” when her child with special needs begins preschool. After battling post-partum mental illness (post tramatic stress disorder) after the preterm birth of her third child, she finally begins to feel healthy and whole again in “It’s Fall, Ya’ll-Again.”

Lauren of Hobo Mama shares On not having an AP poster child, her (OK, second) most viewed post of 2011. Lauren’s first child shook her certainty that attachment parenting meant babies never cried and toddlers grew independent — and that’s all right, too. You can also find Hobo Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Luschka of Diary of a First Child shares Lactivism, Breastfeeding, Bottlefeeding and Mothers at War, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This post discusses how the breastfeeding/bottle feeding debate causes a division between mothers, leading to the alienation of women and babies, while divisive companies prosper. You can also find Diary of a First Child on Facebook, and Twitter.

Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children shares how With Privilege Comes Responsibility, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This compelling post explains her strong felt desire to stand up for those less privileged. You can also find Living Peacefully with Children on Facebook.

Melissa of Vibrant Wanderings shares a Montessori-Inspired Checklist for Choosing Toys, her most popular post of 2011. The article outlines some important Montessori principles and how they relate to children’s toys, translating that into some simple guiding principles. You can also find Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Melissa of White Noise shares Modern Day Wet Nurse, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, Melissa shares the benefits of human breast milk and human milk sharing. You can also find Melissa at Mothers of Change.

Momma Jorje shares Amniocentesis – What is it *really* like?, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This open and honest series offers not only the technical process of amniocentesis, but also the emotions involved in awaiting (and receiving) the procedure and a diagnosis. Momma Jorje can also be found on Facebook.

Moorea of MamaLady: Adventures in Queer Parenting shares Fluoride: Another Reason Breast Is Best, her favorite post of 2011. This post provides research on the harmful effects of fluoride in drinking water for babies and toddlers and ways to limit fluoride consumption in your home. You can also find MamaLady on Facebook and Twitter and her Parent Coaching Site.

Rachael at The Variegated Life is Calling the Muse in her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, she describes how she uses ritual to help her tap into her creative spirit. You can also find Rachael on Twitter and The Variegated Life on Facebook.

Rebekah and Chris from Liberated Family shares Using Cloth In a Disposable Society, their favorite post of 2011. This extensive post provides a lot of information regarding the varied uses of cloth as well as the many benefits. You can also find Liberated Family on Twitter.

Sarah at Parenting God’s Children shares her most viewed post: Confessions of a Breastfeeding Advocate: I Couldn’t. She confesses her struggles with breastfeeding her daughters, but shares why she’ll continue the good fight. You can also find Sarah on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Seonaid of The Practical Dilettante offers a science- and reverence-based meditation on The Living Earth, her most viewed post of 2011. This meditation was originally written for Earth Day, but it provides a way to reconnect with your place in the living breathing planet at any time of year. You can also find Seonaid on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.

Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes shares I Recommend (But Moira Likes This Book Too), her most viewed post of 2011. This post is a review of a wonderful book that talks about all the different ways that families can be made up, along with some of why this topic is so important to her family.

Sheryl at Little Snowflakes shares her experiences with tandem nursing in Tandem Nursing – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, her most viewed post of 2011. You can also find Sheryl on Twitter.

Stay tuned for some amazing posts from all of these tremendous bloggers in 2012!

I hear people say that they want to use bottles so that their husband/partner can bond with baby by feeding the baby a bottle. I’ve heard this as the reason from people who decided to feed formula, people who decided to exclusively pump, and people who decided to breastfeed but give bottles too.

We used a bottle occasionally with Sweets to keep her used to it before she started daycare (Munchkin never took a bottle), but my husband did not feel that it was a bonding experience, just a chore, and we would not have done it if I wasn’t going back to work. Maybe his opinion was formed as a result of having never fed Munchkin a bottle, so he knew he could bond with Sweets without a bottle too. He preferred other activities, such as holding, rocking, bathing, and playing with her for bonding. There are so many ways for a father to bond with his baby besides giving bottles.

Here are a few ideas (Note that mothers can also use all of these techniques, whether breastfeeding or not):

1. Hold baby on your chest



2. Take your shirt off – hold baby skin to skin



3. Sit with knees up and baby facing you on legs



4. Look into baby’s eyes



5. Rock baby



6. Talk to baby



7. Sing to baby



8. Dance with baby



9. Read to baby



10. Play with baby



11. Get down on the floor with baby



12. Kiss and hug baby



13. Touch /caress/cuddle baby



14. Wear baby



15. Go outside with baby



16. Bathe baby



17. Sleep with/near baby



18. Let baby sleep in your arms



19. Change baby’s diaper



20. Feed baby solids (when old enough)



So go ahead and breastfeed, and don’t worry about your partner needing to give baby bottles just in order to bond. Your partner will be able to find many other ways to bond with baby.

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I’m celebrating World Breastfeeding Week with Natural Parents Network!

You can, too — link up your breastfeeding posts from August 1-7 in the linky below, and enjoy reading, commenting on, and sharing the posts collected here and on Natural Parents Network.

(Visit NPN for the code to place on your blog.)

My first daughter, Munchkin, did not take a bottle. Even at daycare, even when I was back to work full-time. It was stressful at first, but it all worked out for us in the end. She reverse cycled and I nursed her on my lunch break. Her daycare teachers offered her bottles daily, though she never did take one.

A friend of mine had the opposite problem – her baby would only take a bottle and wouldn’t latch to the breast. She ended up exclusively pumping, but hated it and wished that her baby could nurse.

My pediatrician told me that “nipple confusion is a myth” but my experience is to the contrary. Obviously, many babies can and do switch between bottle and breast with no problem, but some have a strong preference. And you can’t know if your baby is one who will have a preference until it is too late!

When Sweets was born, I knew that I would be going back to work when she was 4 months old, and I hoped that she would take a bottle while I worked.  Here is what I did do to introduce a bottle until I went back to work, with the intention of avoiding preference for the bottle:

1. I waited until breastfeeding was well-established, about 4-6 weeks, to introduce the bottle for the first time. The breast and the bottle require a different type of mouth/tongue position, and I didn’t want her to develop a poor latch due to confusion with the bottle nipple. Some people suggested that I should start giving her a bottle from day 1 just to be sure she would take it, but I was afraid of nipple confusion/preference, and chose to wait.  I felt that if my baby was going to have a preference, I would rather she take only the breast than only the bottle.
2. I always used a slow-flow bottle nipple. My breasts didn’t come with fast/slow options. I didn’t want my baby to become accustomed to a fast flow bottle and then be frustrated at the slower flow of my breasts.
3. I used a small amount of milk in the bottle, 1-2 oz at home. My goal was not for her to have a full feeding from the bottle at that time – she just needed enough to become accustomed to the bottle. I know that it is easier for a baby to take a larger feeding from a bottle, and I didn’t want to stretch her stomach so that she needed that larger feeding to feel full. Then she might feel unsatisfied from a feeding at the breast. I continued to keep her portions small in daycare too, and never sent bottles with more than 3 oz.
4. I always had someone else, usually my husband, feed her the bottle. I stayed out of the room and used that opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with Munchkin. I never fed her the bottle myself – I wanted her to know that the only option from Mama is nursing.
5. We did not use a bottle every day, but aimed for 2-3 times per week so that she didn’t forget. I think that was the main mistake we made with Munchkin – she took a bottle a few times early on and we thought everything was fine. We went 2 weeks without giving her a bottle, and then she never took one again.We wanted to give Sweets a bottle often enough that she didn’t forget, but not so often that she expected it while at home.

I didn’t enjoy pumping at home, and my husband didn’t enjoy having to feed bottles either. We both found the bottle routine to be very cumbersome, and if I wasn’t going to be going back to work we would not have bothered with the bottle at all. As soon as I went back to work, the one upside was that we never had to give bottles at home anymore!

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I’m celebrating World Breastfeeding Week with Natural Parents Network!

You can, too — link up your breastfeeding posts from August 1-7 in the linky below, and enjoy reading, commenting on, and sharing the posts collected here and on Natural Parents Network.

(Visit NPN for the code to place on your blog.)

This post was written for inclusion in the Carnival of Breastfeeding: Your Family History.
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My mom doesn’t know if she was breastfed as a baby.  My grandmother died several years ago, and by the time I was breastfeeding my children, and my mom thought to ask about it, it was too late.  My mom was the youngest, so she didn’t see how her mother fed any of her siblings.  And my mom’s sisters are several years older and don’t remember anything about how their mom fed her babies.  If they were breastfed, it wasn’t something that was talked about.

My sisters were both adopted, and were formula-fed, so I never saw my mom breastfeed.  But I always knew that I was breastfed as a baby.  I remember my mother’s stories about how she went back to school with an hour train commute each way, and by the time she was on the train coming home her breasts were rock hard and hurting.  As soon as she walked in the door, she would say “Give me the baby!” and my dad would happily hand over the screaming baby.  I asked my mom, why didn’t she just pump while she was at school?  Even if just to relieve her engorgement?  She said she tried, but that it just didn’t work.  The pump she had was the kind where you squeeze a bulb.  She said nothing came out.  Eventually, the pain of engorgement got to be too much for her, and she decided to wean me when I was 7 months old and the new semester started.

My mom weaned me cold-turkey.  She says I was stubborn and wouldn’t take a bottle – I would just wait until she got home.  She said the only way to get me to take a bottle was to just refuse me the breast altogether, so that’s what she did.  I think it took over 24 hours before I would take the bottle!

My mom breastfed me in the ‘70s, when as she puts it, “only the hippies were breastfeeding.”  And 7 months was a really long time, even for the hippies.  My mom didn’t know a lot of people who had breastfed.  Breastfeeding rates were at an all-time low in the early ‘70s – only 24% of mothers in the United States initiated breastfeeding in 1971, and only 5% breastfed for at least 6 months.  By 1978, when I was born, my mother was part of 46% of mothers who initiated breastfeeding, and 19% who breastfed for at least 6 months.  So, while she felt alone in breastfeeding, she was actually a part of a growing trend.

I knew that I would breastfeed my babies, but I didn’t know for how long.  I had the idea, likely reinforced by knowing my mother’s story, that it was nearly impossible to go back to work and continue breastfeeding.

Primarily because I wanted to be able to breastfeed, I originally tried to get a year off of work for maternity leave.  My boss begged me not to leave for a whole year, and promised to do whatever he needed to do to support my breastfeeding.  I took 3 months off completely, and then another 3 months at half-time before I went back full-time.  I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to nurse once I went back full-time, so I made sure to wait until after 6 months.  I guess I thought that 6 months is about how long most people breastfeed anyway, so if I had to quit then, it would be okay.  It would be just what my mom had done with me.

But by the time Munchkin was 6 months old, I had a new goal, and I was determined to breastfeed for the first year and beyond!  I had a quality double electric breast pump and my boss was very supportive in finding me a place to pump even though there was no lactation room available.  Like I had as a baby, Munchkin also refused the bottle while I was at work, but I didn’t wean her – I pumped at work for my comfort and supply, and I let her reverse cycle at night to get enough milk.  Thanks to advice from a supportive community, both in person at La Leche League and on the internet, I was able to combine working and breastfeeding.

My mother and I faced many similar challenges with combining work/school with breastfeeding, but I had several resources that she lacked.  With a supportive boss, a supportive community, and a good breast pump, I was able to successfully combine working and breastfeeding with both of my children.

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Be sure to stop by the other Carnival of Breastfeeding posts:

Christine @ Christine’s Contemplations: Carnival of Breastfeeding- My Family History of Nursing
Judy @ Mommy News Blog: My Family History of Breastfeeding
Jona @ Breastfeeding Twins: Beer & Bottles (and other motherly advice)
Jake Aryeh Marcus: Breastfeeding? Not in My Family
Elita @ Blacktating: Three Generations of Breastfeeding
Mama Mo @ Attached at the Nip: How Women in My Family Feed Babies
Alicia @ Lactation Narration: Only the Hippies Were Breastfeeding
Dr. Sarah: Breastfeeding, Circa 1950s
Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog: An Unbroken Chain